Improvement in harvesters



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.W.`F.cocHRAN1E.-`

HARVESTER.

Patented Feb. 22,1876.

W. F. cool-IRAM.

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HARVESTER.

Patented Feb. I2.2, 1876.

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IMPROVEMENT IN HARVESTERS.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 173,90I dated February22, 1876; application filed March 27, 187'4.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that l, WILLIAM F. CocHRANE,

new and usef'ul Improvements in. Grain-Harvesters; and Vl do herebydeclare the follow-4 ing to be a full, clear, and exact description ofthe saine, reference being 'had to the accompanyin g drawings, formingpart of this specification, inl which- Figure l is a side elevation ofthe machine, with the cutting mechanism and inner drivewheel removed.Fig. 2 is atop-plan view,and Fig. 3 is a detached view, showing theconstruction of the lifting-lever and 'the method of connecting it tothe foot-board, and Fig. 4 is a detached view of the lever-bracket.V

Similar letters of reference in the accompanying drawings denote theVsame parts.

'My invention relates to` that class of twowheeled harvesting-machines,in which the main frame is formed with vertical segmental slots in theside pieces for the passage of the main axle, which actsas'a rock-shaft,and allows t-he frame to rise and fall independently thereof, throughthe limits ofthe segmentalv slots.

lt consists, first, in suspending the frame from the foot-board at thefront and rear, in

of the foot-board to a point over the axial line of the cutter-bar. ThismethodV of suspension enables the main frame to be raised and lowered bythe lifting-lever, to elevate or depress the cutters and regulate thepitch of the guardfingers at one andthe same operation. The inventionalso consists in the construction of the lifting-lever, and the methodof connecting it to the foot-board. r

1n the drawings, A is the main axle carrying the drivin g-Wheels B, andC is the frame, the side pieces of which Iare formed with verticalsegmental slots through which the axle passes. The frame is preventedfrom sliding laterally upon the axle `by `means of collars 'D fastenedto the latter Abetween the side pieces of theframe, and these collarsare cast with segmental pinions to mesh into curved racks cast in thesegmental slots of the side pieces, for the purpose of raising andlowerin g the frame upon the axle when the lifting lever E is operated.F is the foot-board supporting the draftpole and drivers seat, andmounted upon the aXle so as to project forward over the main frame. G isa bracket secured to the foot-board near thev front inner corner, andformed with a guide-Hange, H, and lateral boss I, the latter beingprovided with two eccentric recesses, j', in its edge. K.

is the liftinglever fitted in a socket, L, which is cast with a groovedsemicircnlar head, and a circular recess in one side. The lever-socketis pivoted to the bracket by a bolt, M, so that the boss shall enter therecess in the side of the socket, and serve as a bearing for the latterto turn upon, being guided by' the ida-nge H. N is a bolt, held withinthe lever-socket -by a spring, so as to pass into the circular recess,and enter the'eccentric openings in the erator. From the lifting-leverthus construct*- ed, the front end of the main frame is suspended by anadjustable chain, Q, as shown. When it is desired to raise or lower thefront end of the frame, the latch l? of the lifting-lever is depressedto withdraw the locking-bolt from the eccentric recess in the boss, sothat the lifting-lever may be turned thereon to the proper position.'lhe spring-bolt is then 4released to again lock the lever tothe boss. Ris a hook pivoted to the rear edge of the footboard, so as to extendbackward over the main frame, where it is connected to a chain, S,attached to the rear edge of the frame, or to the shield of thepitman-shaft crank. The inner` end of the hook is pivoted in a socket ofthc foot-board in such a manner as to prevent it from dropping down,While its outer end is free to rise above'the plane of the footboard.The hook and chain form the point of suspension for the rear end of theframe, and

upon which it turns when its'front end is raised or lowered bythelifting-lever. T is the. drag-barjointed at its t'ront end to the endotA a girder, U, projecting laterally from the main frame .in front ot'the inner drivingwheel, and Vis the linger-bar bolted to the drag-barshoe.

The front joint of' the drag-bar is so formed as to enable the bar torock freely, and to rise and fall at its rear end, carrying the lingerand cutter bars with it, as well as the rcel and reel-post.

Any of the ordinary joints now in use for this purpose may be employed,but 1. prefer the joint for which I have made application for LetterPatent.

The outer end of the finger-bar is supported by a grain-Wheel, andprovided with a graindivider in tbe usual manner. The drag-baris furtherconnected to the frame vby backbrace, W, pivoted at one end to thedrag-bar shoe in ,rear of the cutter bar, and its opposite end to aprojection, X, cast upon the crank-shield in line, or nearly so, withthe pitman-shaft. The back brace also forms a radius bar to equalize thethrow of the cutters through the guard-ngers during the rising andfalling movements of the cutting mechanism. Y is the extension-barbolted `firmly to the shoe of the drag-bar behind the cutterbar, andextending inward behind the main frame, where it is connected by achain, Z, with a bracket, A', extending upward and to the rear of themainframe at the inner corner thereof, as shown.

The'rontjoint oflthedrag-bar andthe bracket. chain, and extension-barform the means by which the cutting mechanism is suspended from the mainfifa-me, while the frame is suspended from the foot-board by thelifting-lever, the lifting-hook, and their respective' chains. Thelifting-lever suspends the front end of the frame at the desired point,but the rear end, owing to the flexibility ofits 6011-' nection with thefoot-board, is allowed to rise freely with the cutting mechanism forpassing over obstructions in the path of either. When the rear end isthus thrown upward, the pivoted hook also rises to prevent it fromcoming in contact with the shield of the crank or the pitman-shaft, andinterfere With the free movements of the pitman and cutters.

By suspending the frame and cutting mechanism, as above described, theoperation of the lifting-lever will elevate or depress the cutters', andat the samev time regulate. the

suspended from the rear ot' the foot-board or,

tongue-bracket by a pivoted supporting arm and chain, substantially as.described, for the purpose specified.

2. The lifting-lever L, having a grooved semicircular head, a circularrecess on one side, and a spring-locking bolt, N, in lcombination withthc bracket Gr, provided with a guide-flange, H, and lateral bars I,having eccentric recesses jj, substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

WM. F. COCHRANE. Witnesses:

E. A. ELLsWoRTH, N. K. ELLswoRrH.

